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It is believed that Andong Soju is manufactured using methods
very similar to those brought into the Korean peninsula by
the Y an Mongols. It is very likely that a Mongol supply garrison
was stationed in Andong during the Y an advance through the
Korean peninsula, on their way to launch an expedition against
Japan in the 13th century. Soju, including Andong Soju, became
popular among the upper class in the Kory period. The use
of soju spread as it came to be used for medicinal purposes,
as a cure of stomachaches, poisonous insect bites, and other
ills. We can find another historical record of soju in the
writings of Lee Hyun Bo (pen-name "Nong Am"),
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who was exiled to Andong
during the Yunsan period, in the book Chos n Myounginjun. His
faithful adherence to his duties and indomitable spirit earned
him the nickname Soju Dobyoung, or Soju Expert, among his peers.
He was reinstated to the rank of Jipyoung after King Chungjong
was removed from power. A local Andong resident owns an old
medical book, in which there are records of soju being used
to treat wounds, stomachaches, increased appetite, and dyspepsia.
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